Golf club



J. C. FAINI June 19., 1962 GOLF CLUB 2 Sheets-Sheet l 7 Filed Sept. 24, 1959 INVENTOR. JULIO C. FAINI ATTORNEY June 19, 1962 J. c. FAINI 3,039,776

GOLF CLUB Filed Sept. 24, 1959 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 6

FIG.

AT TORN EY United States Patent O 3,039,776 GOLF CLUB Julio C. Faini, 1020 S. Spring St., Mishawaka, Ind. Filed Sept. 24, 1959, Ser. No. 842,118 Claims. (Cl. 273-164) The present invention relates to a golf club and more particularly to a means used in combination with a golf putter.

In putting, it is important to determine and hold the face of the club at the proper angle, this usually being at right angles to an imaginary line between the ball and the cup, and to hold the head down and the eyes on the ball. Various types of devices have been devised and proposed for assisting in positioning the face of the club at the proper angle and in maintaining the proper head and eye position, but these devices have almost universally been either of such a nature that they actually interfere with the normal putting stroke and aiming or that they have a direct action on the ball and hence have been ruled illegal by the golf associations. It is therefore one of the principal objects of the present invention to pro vide a means for use in combination with an otherwise conventional putter which gives substantial assistance in positioning the club at the proper angle and in holding the head down and the eyes on the ball, without having any direct effect on the putting operation or in any way interfering with the normal stance, aim or stroke of the club.

Another object of the invention is to provide a means of the aforesaid type which can be made as an integral part of the club and retained in a position where it can be either used or not used by the player in making a particular putt, and which in either instance has no physical effect on the ball.

Still another object of the invention is to provide a relatively simple and easy to use means for assisting in holding a putter at the proper angle which does not prevent continued observation of the ball and which does not cause any imbalance in the club.

A further object is to provide an easily mountable and demountable club positioning device which can be adapted to putters of various sizes and shapes.

Another object of the invention is to provide a putter which is particularly useful to beginners in learning the proper stroke including the correct movement of the club and hands, and in eliminating errors by making them more obvious to him so that he can improve his putting without assistance from anyone.

Additional objects and advantages will become apparent from the following description and accompanying drawings, wherein:

FIGURE 1 is a side elevational view of a putter having the present invention incorporated therein;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged elevational view of the golf club head and lower portion of the shaft shown in FIG- URE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a top plan view of the club head shown in FIGURE 2;

FIGURE 4 is a vertical cross sectional view of the head shown in the preceding figures, taken on line 4-4 of FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a front elevational view of a putter head showing a modified form of the present invention;

FIGURE 6 is a top plan view of the head shown in FIGURE 5;

FIGURE 7 is a side elevational view of the head shown in FIGURES 5 and 6;

FIGURE 8 is a front elevational view of a putter head showing a further modified form of the present invention;

FIGURE 9 is a top plan view of the head of FIGURE 8 shown in combination with the present invention; and

3,039,776 Patented June 19, 1962 FIGURE 10 is a side elevational view of the head and the form of the invention shown in FIGURE 8.

Referring to the embodiment of the present invention shown in FIGURES 1 through 4, numeral 12 designates a putter having a head 14, shaft 16 and grip 18, the Shaft and grip being conventional in construction and design. The shaft would normally be of steel, wood or fiber glass joined with the head and the grip of leather, rubber or plastic secured firmly to the upper end of the shaft. For the purpose of the present description, the head of the club may be considered a conventional putter head having, if desired, the usual legal markings (not shown) on the face 20, and heads of shapes different from the one shown in the drawing may be used in combination with the present invention. The particular head shown is generally rectangular in shape with rounded corners, the lower longitudinal corner 22 being rounded substantially to prevent that portion of the club from interfering with the stroke. The lower portion 24 of the face has a definite rearward curve to give the player better control over the ball. To assist in giving the club head the desired balance, the rear portion of the head at the center thereof, i.e. directly behind the center of the face, is thickened to the extent that a distinct bulge 26 is provided in the head. The shaft extends upwardly from the head at a slight angle from vertical and is secured to the head either in the center of the top or offset slightly in the direction toward which the shaft leans.

The present invention consists in combining with the putter head forwardly extending projections 30 and 32 which are formed integrally with the club head, the lower and front edges 34 and 36 of each being curved upwardly and forwardly from the bottom adjacent the club to the edges also are curved upwardly and inwardly so that the substantially horizontal upper surface 37. These two forward edge is thin with rounded corners. Projections 30 and 32 are spaced inwardly from the respective ends of the club head and are located on opposite sides of the portion of the face which is used in striking the ball. The inner wall 38 of each projection is curved outwardly to a substantially straight outer wall 39. The projections are not at any time used to strike or otherwise engage the ball and, since the club face is held at the proper angle for driving the ball to the desired position, striking of the ball with the projections causes the ball to leave the desired course. When the club having projections is used for putting, the stance, aim and drive are all executed in the same manner as with a standard putter, with the exception that the projections are used to facilitate the proper positioning of the club during the stroke.

In the embodiment shown in FIGURES 5, 6 and 7, the club head is substantially the same as the one previously described herein; however, in this modified form theprojections are secured to the upper part of the club and do not obstruct the face of the head at any point. The shape of the projections 40 and 42 appears the same from the top as projections 30 and 32 and since they are used merely in proper positioning of the club relative to the ball, the modified projection functions in the same manner as projections 30 and 32. Projections 40 and 42 are preferably formed integrally with the head; however, if desired, they may be made separately and secured to the upper surface of the head by screws or the like.

In the modified form shown in FIGURES 8, 9 and 10, the projections 50 and 52 are formed separately from the head 14 and are removably secured thereto by a frame 54 consisting of a body portion 56 which lies on top of the head and supports projections 50 and 52 and is held in place by a snap-on clamp 60 around the lower end of the shaft and by two fingers 62 and 64 extending rearwardly from body portion 56 and downwardly along the surface of the rear side of the club. The projections consist, respectively, of a vertical portion 66, 66' substantially the same shape as the vertical shape of projections 30 and 32, and a horizontal portion 68, 63' resembling the upper surface of the latter projections. This modified form of the invention can be easily removed when it is not being used.

The projections or guides forming the principal feature of the present invention and'included in all the modified forms, assist the player to hold his head down, keep his eyes on the ball, and to position the club properly throughout the stroke. They also induce the player to hit the ball in the center of the club face rather than on the toe or heel and to move the club through a straight pendulum-like stroke.

While threeembodiments have been described in detail herein, various other modifications and changes may be made without departing from the scope of the present invention.

I claim:

1. In combination with a golf putter head having a face, upper and lower sides, and a centrally located bulge on the'side opposite the face: two generally triangularly shaped projections on the face spaced inwardly from the ends of the club head and spaced apart on said face sufiiciently that a ball contact area is provided therebetween on said face, said projections being formed integrally with the head and extending from the top of the club head substantially to the bottom and the inside surface of each projection curving forwardly and outwardly to the outside surface thereof, and the forward edge of each projection curving upwardly and outwardly to the top surface thereof.

2 In combination with a golf putter head having a face and upper and lower sides: two generally triangularly shaped projections on the face spaced inwardly from the ends of the club head and spaced apart on said face suff ciently that a ball contact area is provided therebetween on said face, said projections extending from the top of the club head substantially to the bottom and the inside surface of each projection curving forwardly and outwardly to the outside surface thereof, and the forward edge of each projection curving upwardly and outwardly to the top surface thereof.

3. In combination with a golf putter head having a face and upper and lowersides: two projections on the face spaced inwardly from the ends of the club head and spaced apart on said face sufficiently that a ball contact area is provided therebetween on said face, said projections being formed integrally with the head and extending from the top of the club head, the inside surface of each projection curving forwardly and outwardly to the outside surface thereof.

4. in combination with a golf putter head having a face and upper and lower sides: two blunt forwardly extending generally triangularly shaped projections on the face spaced inwardly from the ends of the club head and spaced apart on said face sufficiently that a. ball contact area is provided therebetween on said face and being tapered downwardly and rearwardly toward the head, said projections being secured to said face of the head and extending forwardly from the top of the club head.

5. In combination with a golf putter head having a face and upper and lower sides: two blunt forwardly extending projections on the face spaced inwardly from the ends of the club head and spaced apart on said face a distance greater than the diameter of a golf ball to provide a ball contact area therebetween on said face and being tapered downwardly and rearwardly toward the head, the space between said projections in front of said face being fully open so that the golf ball will be continuously visible to the golfer throughout the stroke.

References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 664,338 Sprague Dec. 18, 1900 2,057,821 Costello Oct. 20, 1936 2,472,312 Parrish June 7 1949 2,670,209 Fay Feb. 23, 1954 

